Torn Souls
by Sithspit
Summary: Warning: Read AFTER watching the episode Redemption...spoilers abound. Last few minutes of the ep from someone else's perspective...Sandoval, Kincaid, and an RPG character of my creation used for online play.


Disclaimer: All characters with the exception of Commander James Christian are the sole property of Tribune and are the creation of Gene Roddenberry. This is strictly for entertainment, and I'm receiving no payment or funds from this piece of fiction.

I wrote this within minutes of watching "Redemption". Some is true, some is my own vision, as it includes a character I created for an online RPG based in EFC. If you haven't seen Redemption yet, read this immediately following, not before....

"Hurry up, Kincaid."

"I can't fly this thing any faster, Sandoval."

Liam Kincaid deftly moved his hands in a ballet of gestures, piloting the interdimensional shuttle as skillfully and swiftly as it would allow. Behind him and to starboard was Agent Ronald Sandoval, dressed in black climbing clothes and wearing a still blacker look. Brooding and silent, his admonition to hurry had been the first words spoken since take off some minutes before. Seated on the port side of the shuttle was Commander James Christian, dressed as Sandoval and Liam were, in rugged climbing clothes and boots. All three men appeared grim, yet to the trained eye, some were more concerned than others.

James Christian studied Sandoval closely. In the time he had known the quiet, dark implant, he had never seen any emotion or display of tension or nervousness. Nothing like the contained storm that was roiling beneath his facade of ice calm.

Sandoval turned to Christian, the pain and tortured emotion in his eyes glistening with a sheen of barely contained tears quickly slamming closed at the sight of the other Implant observing him.

As he turned to face the front again, he spoke in a barely audible, soft tone, "Is there a problem, Commander?"

James Christian turned his face back forward also, exhaling a cleansing breath. "No, none at all, Ron."

Sandoval's eyes jerked, an involuntary twitch at the unaccustomed familiarity, yet he said nothing.

"How much longer, Liam?"

"One minute."

"Liam, when we arrive, you'll be the first to go down. Sandoval will go second, and I'll take the belaying point, since I'm the heaviest."

Sandoval looked to James and asked, "And why do you feel this is the way to go, Commander?"

James nodded forward at the man taking the shuttle in for a terrifying landing. "Because Liam is a master climber. His experience will be what's needed in the cave, so he should be first in. You second, as the lightest, and me last for the reason I've already stated."

Sandoval seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded his acquiescence. "Agreed."

The shuttle howled into its landing, touching the rock beneath it as lightly as a hawk returning from its hunt. The three men piled out of the craft and began piling on ropes, slings and other climbing gear, such as carabiners and pitons. James grabbed the Thomas pack from the floor and slung it over his shoulder, looking Liam in the eyes and saying, "Just in case, right?"

He considered the young man that was Da'an's Protector, wearing no skrill and having no CVI, and found him to be intensely focused on the situation at hand. Almost too focused.

As they began the hike to the yawning opening to the cave, he pulled alongside him, matching his ground eating pace, stride for stride.

"Liam, you and Sandoval are acting like there's some personal stake in this." He side stepped an ankle-snapping hole and continued. "What's up with that."

Liam never broke stride. "Nothing, Commander. Nothing you would understand."

James shrugged, wincing under the weight of the load he was carrying. "Whatever, man. Whatever."

As they arrived at the cave mouth, Sandoval was the first to the edge.

"Can you see her, Sandoval?" Liam called, catching James' hand and allowing himself to be helped up onto the ledge.

"Yes, I can! She's lying down at the bottom, on her back. There's blood on the rock around her head..."

Liam looked stricken. "Is she...?"

Sandoval turned and shook his head. "No, she's breathing. Get the gear set up."

The time was agonizingly slow for the men, but finally, after five long minutes, they were ready. Liam went over the edge, shouting as he went. "Lieutenant Beckett, can you hear me? It's Kincaid, Sandoval and Christian. We're here to get you."

~voices....I'M GUILTY!...Oh, mum....(Oh, my head, the pain...)....How could I have been so wrong?...~

"I'm almost to her. Keep the line coming..."

~To err is human, to forgive, divine...~

James was holding onto the line, belaying the cable that was a true life- line to the people in the cave. As he stood there, he felt the line slacken and looked up to see an openly stricken Sandoval exit from the cave mouth. Behind him came the figure of Liam Kincaid, carrying the limp form of Lieutenant Siobhan Beckett, her red hair matted with dried blood and streaks of tears still flowing down her slack cheeks.

Liam was openly weeping, racking sobs that were pouring freely from his torn soul. Still holding Beckett's limp form, he slumped to the rock, mumbling into her hair and stroking her cold face.

James stood there, awkward and unsure of what was going on. Something had apparently happened between the three people before him, the two living and the one lifeless, so fragile seeming and small in death. Just what he had not a clue.

He looked to Sandoval. Sandoval, surprisingly and the most shocking of all, was openly crying, silent streams of pain coursing down his mahogany cheeks. His left hand was upon Liam's shoulder, the gold band on his littlest finger glinting in the sunshine....

---FIN---


End file.
